1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to corrosion-inhibited systems and methods for providing a utility service to a plurality of consumers and more particularly to corrosion protection for utility services.
2. Description of Related Art
Systems for providing a utility service such as water to a plurality of consumers often include a plurality of metallic water supply structures associated with respective consumers in a residential neighborhood or subdivision or industrial complex, for example. These structures may include copper water pipes and metallic fittings such as clamps and valves buried in the ground.
Normally, the metallic water supply structures would be connected to a metallic watermain made of steel, iron or cast iron, for example, and such watermain may be equipped with an integral anode in direct connection with the watermain to prevent corrosion of the watermain. The metal of the watermain is less noble than copper feeder pipes normally used to supply consumers from the watermain and thus the watermain is more anodic than the copper feeder pipes and provides cathodic protection to those copper pipes. The integral anode on the metallic watermain is normally made of Zinc or Magnesium or a Magnesium alloy and is thus more anodic than the metal of the watermain. Consequently, the anode protects the watermain from corrosion and the watermain and the anode together provide cathodic protection from corrosion to the copper feeder pipes.
The anodes on existing metallic watermains need periodic replacement which often requires expensive excavation. In addition, many existing metallic watermains are coming to the end of their useful life and are being replaced with plastic pipe. New installations also often use plastic pipe watermains.
With the increasing use of plastic watermains, the remaining water supply structures are left with virtually no anodes and are subject to corrosion as a result. The present invention addresses this problem.